Can Astaxanthin Pills and Creams Reduce Skin Aging?

Original Title

Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis on the Effects of Astaxanthin on Human Skin Ageing

Not medical advice. For informational purposes only. Always consult a healthcare professional. Terms

Summary

Scientists looked at all human studies on astaxanthin (a red pigment from algae) for skin aging. They found 9 proper experiments with pills and 2 studies with creams. The pill studies showed mixed results.

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Surprising Findings

The researchers claimed astaxanthin reduces wrinkles in their conclusion, but their own data shows no statistically significant effect (p=0.11)

This is a classic example of 'publication bias' or 'spin' in research - the conclusion doesn't match the actual results. Readers might assume the study proves wrinkle reduction when it doesn't.

Practical Takeaways

If you want to try astaxanthin for skin health, a dose of 2-12mg daily for at least 4 weeks may help with skin hydration and elasticity

medium for moisture/elasticity, low for wrinkle claims confidence

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39%
Lower QualityOverall Score

Publication

Journal

Nutrients

Year

2021

Authors

Xiangyu Zhou, Qingming Cao, C. Orfila, Jian Zhao, Lin Zhang

Open Access
49 citations
Analysis v1